Safety face mask



Jan. 1?, 1967 I fl-LJ. MORGAN 3,298,0M

SAFETY FACE MASK Filed May 15, 1964 l 2 Shets-$heet 1 INVENTOR HAROLD JOSEPH MORGAN A TTOR NE Y Jan, W, 167

H. J. MORGAN SAFETY FACE MASK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 15, 1964 FNVENTOR. HAROLD JOSEPH MORGAN A 'rToR N13 Y United States Patent 3,298,031 SAFETY FACE MIAMI Hamid Joseph Morgan, Waterford, Conn, assignor to General Dynamics Eorporation, New York, NIL, a corporation of Delaware Filed May 15, 1964, Ser. No. 367,654 9 Claims. (Cl. 29)

This invention relates to protective face gear in general, and more particularly to separably connected dual face protectors individually covering the upper part and the lower part of the face of the wearer.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a face protector having an eye protecting portion and a lower detachable face protecting portion.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dual purpose transparent face protector of light weight construction in which an upper eye shielding portion may be employed without the use of a lower face shielding portion.

Another object of this invention is to provide a face protector having an eye protecting portion and a lower detachable face protecting portion pivotally attached to the eye protecting portion.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dual component protective face mask in which a lens portion directly shielding the eyes may be removed and replaced.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the in vention resides in the following specification and appended claims, certain embodiments and details in construction of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a face protector of this invention in which the lower face protecting portion is raised;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a face protector of this invention in which the lower protecting portion is illustrated in the full face protective position;

FIGURE 3 is a top elevation of the face protector of this invention illustrating the detachable feature of the lower face protecting portion from the eye shielding portion;

FIGURE 4 is a front view of the eye protecting portion of the face protector of this invention illustrating the manner in which the transparent lens of the eye protecting portion may be removed from the periphery of its supporting member; and

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 3 illustrating connecting means interrelating an eye protecting lens, a supporting member of the eye portion of a face protector, and the lower face protecting portion of a face protector within the contemplation of this invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 the general characteristics of the dual face protector within the contemplation of the present invention. The dual portions of the face protector consist generally of an eye protecting portion Ill, and a lower face protecting portion 11.

Eye portion Ill is provided with a support member 4'!) which defines a generally elliptical visual area which is covered by a generally eye'glass shaped transparent lens 15. Preferably, support member 40 is formed from a relatively soft flexible transparent plastic material which has an inherent resiliency enabling it to maintain its general shape. Support member ll is also preferably provided with an elastic headband 12 secured to member 40 at 13 by any suitable means. In addition to holding the overall face protector in position, headband 12 is also provided to enable member 40 to be held in close contact with the forehead and cheekbones of the wearer 3,Z98,=3l Patented Jan. 17, 1967 as member 40 rests on the wearers nose. Member 40 is also provided with any suitable perforated grating 14 which allows adequate air circulation into and out of the space defined by eye portion 19 and the face of the wearer. Lower portion 11 of the face protector is illustrated as pivotally attached to the upper eye protecting portion 10 by suitable attachment means 16, such as a snap fastener. When it is desirable for the lower portion 11 to be in full face operative position, as illustrated in FIGURE 2, such that it protects the nose, mouth, chin and checks of the wearer, the upper edge of lower portion 11 generally follows the contour defined by the lower peripheral edge of eye portion 10.

Preferably, to enhance breathing circulation and reduce lens fogging, when lower portion 11 is in the position illustrated in FIGURE 2, protective portion 11 may be provided with a plurality of holes 18 and 19 through which inhaled and exhaled air communicates with the nose and mouth of the wearer. The upper edge of portion 11 may also be provided with a centrally located extension 17 which is provided with an aperture 20 through which attachment may be made with suitable means on the upper peripheral edge of supporting member 40 for transparent lens 15 or with suitable means on lens 15 itself. In order to adequately protect the lower portion of the face, holes 18 and 19 in lower portion 11 are generally not substantially large. Consequently, in a hot or humid climate, it may be desirable to temporarily displace portion 11 from close proximity with the face to facilitate breathing during periods in which the lower portion 11 is not needed immediately but will be needed subsequently for protective purposes. Thus, during such periods it would be time consuming and cumbersome to remove completely the lower portion 11 from the upper portion 10; therefore, a pivotal attachment at 16 may be desirable. In the event that the wearer desires to pivot portion 11, aperture 20 on extension 17 may be easily removed from the connecting means on member 40 or lens 15 and the entire lower portion ll can be pivoted upwardly about connecting means 16 into the position as illustrated in FIGURE 1. Thus, the wearer may temporarily remove lower portion 11 from its full face protective position without completely detaching portion 11 from the upper eye portion 10.

In FIGURE 3 lower portion 11 is illustrated as partially detached from connecting means 16 and upper portion 10. Connecting means 16 is preferably a snap fastener provided with a male-type connector 21 suitably secured to lower portion 11 and a female-type connector 22 suitably secured to the upper eye protecting portion 10.

Lower portion 11 and transparent lens 15 of the face protector are preferably formed from a plastic material molded into a hardened state which is capable of withstanding rough treatment and high temperatures. In the event that lens protecting portion 15 becomes scratched, warped, or rendered nonusable in any way, the lens may be removed and easily replaced as illustrated in FIGURE 4. Although transparent lens 15 is illustrated as a material which is clear, it is recognized that the clear lens may be replaced by a darkened or colored lens enabling the face protector to be employed by a welder. An inner periphery 23 of the flexible support member 40, defining the visual area of portion 10, is provided with sholt, parallel spaced inwardly extending flanges 24 and 25. defining a grooved path allowing the insertion of lens 15 therein. Within the groove thus formed are pointed protrusions 26 which allow a tight fit with corresponding cut-out portions 27 on lens 15. When lens 15 is inserted in the groove, protrusions 26 and cut-out portions 27 form oppositely disposed interlocking portions and ridges 24 and 25 overlap the peripheral edge of lens 15. Periphery 23 of support member 40 may be disconnected,

or cut at 28 where member 40 bridges the nose of a wearer. Centrally, disposed along the top part of periphery 23 and depending from outer extending flange 25 is a relatively small member 29 provided with a hole 30. A slot 31 is molded from material of member 40 above and behind inner extending flange 24. Centrally disposed on the upper peripheral edge of lens 15 is a relatively short extension 32 which is provided to communicate with slot 31. Also, centrally disposed on lens 15 and close to the upper peripheral edge of the lens is a hard outwardly protruding knob 33. As the lens is inserted in the groove formed by flanges 24 and 25, extension 32 is inserted in slot 31, and hole 30 in depending portion 29 fits over knob 33 on lens 15 to provide a connection with lens 15. Thus, with lens 15 properly inserted in upper protective portion and with lower protective portion in full face protective position, the relative positions of the interconnecting members of all the parts are illustrated in FIGURE 5. Knob 33 on lens extends through hole 30 in depending member 29 on the periphery of support member 40 and may further extend through hole on the upper extending portion 17 of lower protective portion 11. Extension 32 on lens 15 is bent to allow insertion into slot 31.

It is obvious that this invention might be varied, particularly as to materials employed, without detracting from the basic features of the invention. Modifications may therefore readily occur to those skilled in the art and I therefore intend my invention to be limited only to a liberal interpretation of the appended claims.

What is desired to be secured as United States Letters Patent is:

1. A protective face shield comprising an eye protecting portion and a lower face protecting portion, said eye protecting portion having a flexible plastic face contacting component and a hard plastic lens component, said flexible component being adapted to bridge the nose of the wearer and to communicate tightly with all portions of the face forming the eye cavities in the head of the wearer, first means removable securing said lens component to said flexible component and said lens component being spaced from the eyes and face of the wearer by said flexible component, at least one outwardly protruding knob member centrally located near the upper edge of the lens component, and the upper edge of said lower face protecting portion following substantially the entire contour of the lower peripheral edge of said lens component except that an extended portion of the upper edge of said lower face protecting portion is provided with at least one passage allowing the insertion therethrough of said knob member of said lens component, to thereby index the lowerportion relative to the eye portion, said lower face protecting portion being formed of a hard plastic material and second means removably and pivotally securing said face protecting portion to said eye protecting portion and spaced from the face of the wearer.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said said first means includes separable channel means on said flexible component and wherein said lens component is removably received within said separable channel means so secure it to said flexible component, said separable channel means overlying the peripheral edge of said lens component.

3. The invention according to claim 2 wherein said separable channel means is provided with at least one depending portion having at least one passage allowing the insertion therethrough of said one outwardly protruding knob member of said lens component.

4. The invention according to claim 3 wherein said lens component is provided with a tab member centrally disposed on and extending from the upper peripheral edge of the lens component and said flexible component is provided with a molded slot means which permits said tab member to be positioned interjacently.

5. A protective face shield comprising an eye protecting portion and a lower face protecting portion, means removably and pivotally securing said face protecting portion to said eye protecting portion, said eye protecting portion having a flexible plastic face contacting component and a hard plastic lens, said face contacting component being a unitary member formed with an inwardlyopening peripheral groove at the front portion thereof removably receiving and retaining the edge of said lens, said unitary member having opposite edges abutting each other at the part of said component which is adapted to be received on the bridge of a wearers nose, and said component and said lens having cooperative means thereon removably holding said component in a position en compassing and holding said lens in said groove.

6. The invention according to claim 5 wherein said cooperative holding means includes slots formed in the edge of said lens defining shoulders thereon facing against the direction of the force provided by the in herent resiliency of said unitary member and projections formed within said grooves of said member defining shoulders arranged for cooperative engagement with said shoulders on said lens, whereby said unitary member is removably locked in position holding said lens.

7. The invention according to claim 6 wherein said slots in said lens are formed adjacent the portion of said lens which is adapted to be located over the bridge of a wearers nose, and wherein said cooperating projections are formed adjacent said opposite edges of said unitary member, whereby the abutment of said opposite edges, in conjunction with the holding eflect of said slots and projections, holds the parts of said unitary member adjacent said opposite edges in predetermined positions on said lens.

8. The invention according to claim 5 wherein said holding means includes cooperating formations on said lens and said component at the top center portion thereof positioning and holding said components and said lens in predetermined relative positions.

9. The invention according to claim 8 wherein said positioning and holding means includes means defining a slot extending rearwardly from and communicating with said peripheral groove on said unitary member and a tab projecting from the edge of said lens and project ing into said slot.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,582,164 4/1926 Burstyn 2-9 X 2,718,006 9/1955 Bowers 2-10 2,903,700 9/1959 Finken et al. 2l0 3,147,487 9/1964 Hoeftman 28 FOREIGN PATENTS 688,227 2/ 1940 Germany.

871,946 4/1953 Germany. 1,075,796 2/1960 Germany.

873,044 7/1961 Great Britain.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

J. R. BOLER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PROTECTIVE FACE SHIELD COMPRISING AN EYE PROTECTING PORTION AND A LOWER FACE PROTECTING PORTION, SAID EYE PROTECTING PORTION HAVING A FLEXIBLE PLASTIC FACECONTACTING COMPONENT AND A HARD PLASTIC LENS COMPONENT, SAID FLEXIBLE COMPONENT BEING ADAPTED TO BRIDGE THE NOSE OF THE WEARER AND TO COMMUNICATE TIGHTLY WITH ALL PORTIONS OF THE FACE FORMING THE EYE CAVITIES IN THE HEAD OF THE WEARER, FIRST MEANS REMOVABLE SECURING SAID LENS COMPONENT TO SAID FLEXIBLE COMPONENT AND SAID LENS COMPONENT BEING SPACED FROM THE EYES AND FACE OF THE WEARER BY SAID FLEXIBLE COMPONENT, AT LEAST ONE OUTWARDLY PROTRUDING KNOB MEMBER CENTRALLY LOCATED NEAR THE UPPER EDGE OF THE LENS COMPONENT, AND THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID LOWER FACE PROTECTING PORTION FOLLOWING SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE CONTOUR OF THE LOWER PERIPHERAL EDGE OF SAID LENS COMPONENT EXCEPT THAT AN EXTENDED PORTION OF THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID LOWER FACE PROTECTING PORTION IS PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE PASSAGE ALLOWING THE INSERTION THERETHROUGH OF SAID KNOB MEMBER OF SAID LENS COMPONENT, TO THEREBY INDEX THE LOWER PORTION RELATIVE TO THE EYE PORTION, SAID LOWER FACE PROTECTING PORTION BEING FORMED OF A HARD PLASTIC MATERIAL AND SECOND MEANS REMOVABLY AND PIVOTALLY SECURING SAID FACE PROTECTING PORTION TO SAID EYE PROTECTING PORTION AND SPACED FROM THE FACE OF THE WEARER. 